Pomeranians have the most beautiful coats imaginable. They can proudly strut around and feel confident they look cute. But is there cause for concern about what’s going on underneath those coats? Knowing the most common Pomeranian skin conditions cannot only remove the discomfort of ill-affected skin but also potentially save their beautiful coats.
Signs of Pomeranian Skin Conditions
Dogs scratch their fur all the time, but, when done in excess, can be a tell-tale sign of a potential skin condition. We should be on alert when our Pomeranians are potentially over scratching, so knowing what to look out for is important for your Pom.
Dry Skin
Of the most common kinds of Pomeranian skin conditions, the biggest by far is simply dry skin. This can be noticed immediately if you notice any peeling or flaking of the skin. For example, if it looks like they have dandruff in their hair, it’s almost certain they have dry skin. Another common sign of dry skin is if you see redness or swelling on their skin.
Of course, you need to check for this, but it’s definitely worth doing. Finally, if you see your little Pomeranian nibbling at some location on their body, you’ve likely found your Pomeranian has dry skin; one of the more common Pomeranian skin conditions.
Black Skin Disease
Sadly there is an even worse illness among Pomeranian skin conditions, and that is Black Skin Disease (aka Alopecia X). This is such a sad outcome for any Pomeranian to be subject to because the final outcome is permanent hair loss.
This disease is most prevalent in Pomeranians, Chow Chows, Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Elkhounds, Toy Poodles, and Miniature Poodles. The technical term is Alopecia X and doesn’t start showing signs in Poms until 2 to 3 years old.
What happens when Black Skin Disease shows up in Pomeranians is their outer coat starts to fall off. Over time, even their inner coat begins to lose strength and also falls off, leaving your Pomeranian’s skin open to the elements. The strange part of this disease is that once their hair falls off, the skin begins to turn dark gray to black.
Causes and Treatments of Pomeranian Skin Conditions
When treating Pomeranian skin conditions and other issues, it’s helpful to know the causes of the problems so that we can better treat our little guys. Knowledge is power, and the better we know the reasons for these problems, the better we’ll be at solving them.
Dry Skin
When it comes to dry skin, it’s usually a simple cause and can be fixed rather quickly. It’s important to understand what’s happening to our Pomeranians’ skin so that we can better address the Pomeranian skin conditions they could face.
When it comes to Pomeranians, they have two coats that are rather thick. This can cause air flow to be blocked, which can occur when hairs that need to fall off don’t fall off. This can lead to oils being trapped inside your Pomeranian’s body and a lack of oxygen to the skin.
The best way to fix this is to brush your Pom every day. This will force dead hair to leave your Pomeranian’s coat while also guiding skin oil to be spread around your Pomeranian’s skin appropriately. If you want to help improve your Pom’s coat and skin, you’ll definitely want to pick up a high-quality dog brush.
Another potential cause of your Pomeranian’s dry skin is the use of chemical shampoos. We all want our Poms’ coats to look shiny and clean, but there are certain shampoos that can cause more harm than good. It’s best to buy high-quality shampoo products along with conditioners and leave-in sprays to avoid discomforting dry skin. By using the right products, a proper pH balance can be reached in your Pomeranian’s skin.
Even when using the best shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in sprays, your Pomeranian can still get discomforting dry skin if these high-quality products aren’t rinsed out thoroughly. While some leave-in sprays state that you don’t need to rinse them out, other products like shampoo and conditioner surely need to be removed entirely. Not doing so will almost certainly bring your Pomeranian dry skin, so be sure to rinse them off well.
Sometimes mother nature doesn’t play nicely with us, and for Pomeranians living in dry and static air, they may develop dry skin. It’s important to make sure that the environment we set for our Pomeranians is one that encourages good health. In winter, it’s hard to avoid dry and static air, which is why I always suggest using leave-in sprays for your Pomeranian’s coat. These products will keep both their coat and skin well moisturized.
Now this one kind of takes a little fun out of life, but it’s best not to blow dry your Pom’s hair in excess after a nice healthy bath. I know, I know, they love it! And it’s so cute to see them playing in the warm air. However, it’s best not to blow dry their hair for too long, not to have the heat too high, and to be a good 4 to 5 inches away from your Pom.
Food Allergies
Just like people, food allergies can cause skin conditions that are only realizable once they’ve been experienced. With Pomeranians, it’s not uncommon for them to have a particular food allergy. It’s also not uncommon for them to have different food allergy sources, so it’s important to be observant with your Pomeranian when giving them different types of food.
One of the most common issues with the food we give our Pomeranians is that there are numerous additives inside them that are completely unnecessary and potentially harmful for dogs. Most of the time it’s not the actual food source Pomeranian’s are allergic to, but instead added ingredients such as preservatives, artificial food coloring, fillers (like sawdust!), and more.
This is why I only buy the best food for my Pomeranians and I highly suggest you do the same. As a matter of fact, the food our Pomerainans eat can affect more than just their skin but also their overall health and character.
Black Skin Disease
When it comes to Black Skin Disease, there is currently no known cause or treatment for it. The final verdict is that there are some experimental treatments and that there’s research underway to uncover the cause and cure of this terrible disease.
If there is a silver lining when it comes to Black Skin Disease it’s that it won’t affect your Pom’s overall health. This means it’s purely cosmetic. The only issues they will have is their skin is susceptible to the world’s elements and they may lose a bit of their genuine character. A nice way to avoid both of these sad outcomes is to get your Pomeranian a nice jacket or sweater.
No More Pomeranian Skin Conditions, Yay!
By now you know what to look for when it comes to pinpointing Pomeranian skin conditions and the best measures to treat them. Thankfully, the vast majority of the time your Pomeranian has a skin condition, it’ll be easily solvable by improving your Pomeranian’s surroundings and interactions with people-made products. Now go and let your Pomeranian enjoy the world with healthy skin!
